Gomer Pyle
Gomer Pyle was the simple-minded gas station attendant and later auto mechanic in the American TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, played by Jim Nabors. Nabors continued the character in his own starring vehicle, Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. from 1964-69. Gomer Pyle was a good-natured, bucolic simpleton, characterized by his childlike naivety and his exaggerated hick accent. He originally lived in the fictional town of Mayberry and worked at Wally's Filling Station (which also served as the town's service station) where he took up residence in the back room and was saving up for medical school. Wide-eyed and slack jawed, Gomer provided much of the comic relief during his two-year stint on The Andy Griffith Show. He was often awestruck by the simplest of things, resulting in the exclamation of his catchphrase, "Shazam!" He was also known to regularly spout other memorable expressions, such as "Gol-ly", and "Surprise, surprise, surprise!". Originally employed as little more than an attendant, Gomer knew very little about the workings of cars (in Man in a Hurry he said he only fills them up with gas and in The Great Filling Station Robbery, he thought a carburetor was a hood ornament). He later became quite a skilled mechanic with a full knowledge of automobiles, perhaps due to training from his boss, Wally, or his cousin Goober Pyle (who also worked at the filling station). Gomer was usually seen sporting a ball cap with an upturned bill and his service station uniform with an ever-present handkerchief dangling from his back pocket. Gomer was often deputized by Deputy Barney Fife when additional assistance was needed to keep law and order in Mayberry. Though always complacent, his ineptitude usually made Gomer more of a hindrance than a help in the line of duty. However, his shortcomings were generally outweighed by his sweet temperament in the eyes of his friends, especially Sheriff Andy Taylor. Gomer eventually left Mayberry to join the United States Marine Corps, as seen on the spin-off series, Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., where his innocence and ineptitude served as the backbone for the show's humor, and made Gomer comic foil to the hard-nosed drill instructor, Sgt. Vince Carter. In the TV movie Return to Mayberry, he is running the local filling station with his cousin Goober called G&G Garage. He also appears in a 1966 episode of "The Lucy Show" and a 1991 episode of "Hi Honey, I'm Home". Appearances The Andy Griffith Show *The Bank Job *Man in a Hurry *High Noon in Mayberry *The Great Filling Station Robbery *Barney's First Car *The Big House *The Haunted House *The Sermon for Today *Gomer the House Guest *A Black Day for Mayberry *A Date for Gomer *Citizen's Arrest *Barney and the Cave Rescue *Hot Rod Otis - (mentioned) *The Song Festers *Andy's Vacation *Andy Saves Gomer *Bargain Day *A Deal Is a Deal *The Fun Girls *The Rumor *Barney and Thelma Lou - Phfftt *Back to Nature *Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. *The Lucky Letter (Mentioned) Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. See Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. Episodes Gallery :Gallery of Category:Return_to_Mayberry_Character_and_Cast Category:The Andy Griffith Show Characters Category:Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. Characters Category:Marine Privates Category:Season 3 Characters Category:Season 4 Characters Category:Season 1 Gomer Pyle USMC Characters Category:Law Enforcement